News : \'Pluggers:\' Janet Woodhouse is latest Vinton contributor to comic

Janet Woodhouse of Vinton offered an idea which became a cartoon published throughout the U.S.

The one-square "Pluggers" comic is a favorite among Americans, especially among those of us who were born before the first Super Bowl. The characters in that comic express the uniquely old-school way of life and doing things.

The artists of the June 15 edition of "Pluggers" used an idea from Janet Woodhouse of Vinton.

At least two other Vinton women have shared ideas that have been featured in the comic.

Julie Zimmer was one of those.

"Mine was a plugger who has to keep pushing the key fob until they hear the beep, to be SURE the car is really locked," Zimmer explains. "Nothing exciting, but then again, Plugger news rarely is!"

Retired teacher and former Vinton City Council member Lisa Vermedahl also is a published "Pluggers" idea submitter.

"Pluggers" comics are syndicated by Tribune Content Agency. Artist Gary Brookins has been creating them since 1997, when he took over for Pluggers creator Jeff MacNelly, who had his first "Pluggers" published in 1993.

The "Pluggers" web page describes the comic with these words: "America’s reader-participation comic, “Pluggers” chronicles the wisdom of hardworking people across the country. Spare your readers the soulless corporate advice found on framed photos of soaring eagles and give them some 'do-as-we-d'o affirmation from Gary Brookins’ family-loving, work-embracing animals, most of whom wear their salt-of-the-earth qualities on the sleeves of their plaid flannel shirts."